The BRAF V600E gene mutation makes colorectal cancers (CRCs) more aggressive, leading to poorer survival rates. While some CRCs with high microsatellite instability respond well to immunotherapy, most BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic CRCs are microsatellite stable (MSS) and do not benefit from these treatments. The combination of encorafenib and cetuximab is Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved but has limited duration of response in these patients, which led Van Morris, M.D., and colleagues at MD Anderson to examine the safety and efficacy of adding the anti-PD-1...

Breast cancer often starts in the epithelial cells lining the milk ducts and lobules, but there are many subtypes that make it challenging to identify the cancer’s starting point within normal tissue. Researchers led by Nicholas Navin, Ph.D., developed a new single-cell DNA and RNA sequencing technology – called wellDR-seq – to identify ancestral breast cancer cells. By studying the impact of chromosome gains or losses on gene expression, the researchers were able to uncover the molecular...

Scientists often use organoids – laboratory-grown human cell culture systems that closely mimic body organs – to gain deeper insights into cancer biology and understand how tumors respond to drugs. Researchers led by Yuan-Hung Lo, Ph.D., used organoids along with several CRISPR gene editing tools to study how cisplatin chemotherapy interacts with different genes in the human stomach. The screens revealed an unexpected link between cisplatin sensitivity and fucosylation, a process that adds sugar molecules to cells. The researchers identified the TAF6L gene as a key regulator...

KRAS is the most commonly mutated gene in cancer, but targeting the mutant protein is notoriously difficult because current therapies work only for certain KRAS mutations. This led researchers Kathleen McAndrews, Ph.D., Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S., Raghu Kalluri, M.D., Ph.D., and Timothy Heffernan, Ph.D., to examine the efficacy of a first-in-class inhibitor called BI-2493. This pan-KRAS inhibitor can target the mutant protein in multiple cancer types, regardless of the specific mutation present. BI-2493 was developed as part of the...

Natural killer (NK) cells became markedly better at killing cancer cells after scientists removed key gene targets identified through a new genome-wide CRISPR screening tool.   The study opens new avenues for discovering approaches to enhance the antitumor activity of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NK cell therapies against multiple cancer types via PreCiSE, a comprehensive CRISPR discovery platform optimized for primary human NK cells.   “Targeted gene editing is a powerful tool to enhance the...

The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) has announced two significant leadership appointments in the John Sealy School of Medicine (JSSOM), reinforcing the institution’s commitment to clinical excellence, medical education, and research innovation.   Dr. Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD, has been named Senior Vice President of Health Affairs and Dean of the John Sealy School of Medicine, while continuing in his role as Chief Research Officer. Bianco, who has served as interim dean since March,...

Scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Galveston National Laboratory have been awarded up to $6.4 million in funding to support an international research consortium to crack one of the toughest problems in infectious disease science: determining which immune responses protect people against Lassa fever.   This funding was awarded as part of a joint funding call by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Wellcome, with CEPI providing the funding to UNVEIL, which...

Studies have shown that the NSD2 protein fuels cancer growth, particularly in difficult-to-treat cancers with KRAS mutations, suggesting it has potential as a therapeutic target. A new multi-institutional study led by Pawel Mazur, Ph.D., confirmed that NSD2 can be targeted with a new drug. Blocking NSD2 effectively reprogrammed the DNA structure, which reversed and prevented new cancer growth in preclinical models of KRAS-mutant lung and pancreatic cancers. The NSD2 inhibitor alone improved survival and, when combined with the KRAS inhibitor sotorasib, resulted...

Many patients with cancer develop a serious and currently incurable condition called cachexia, which is characterized by rapid weight and muscle loss and is responsible for nearly one-third of cancer-related deaths. Cachexia is driven in part by inflammation affecting the parasympathetic nervous system and liver function. Since the vagus nerve regulates the parasympathetic nervous system, Xiling Shen, Ph.D., and colleagues examined its role in cancer-associated cachexia. Preclinical models and patient blood samples showed that cancer progression...